


For Your Hand

by SarahHBE



Series: Cap-IM 2018 Bingos [6]
Category: Avengers (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Howard Stark's Bad Parenting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 11:00:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14354085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarahHBE/pseuds/SarahHBE
Summary: Captain Steve Rogers, formally a Union Soldier, takes on his hardest battle - asking Tony's father permission to marry.





	For Your Hand

**Author's Note:**

> For the stony bingo!! The square was "permission."
> 
> Just to clarify, this is post-American Civil War so early 1870's and takes place in New York City. It's not addressed why Tony is being treated like women of the day were, but he is, because I wanted to write the story this way. Tony's still a guy, but if you want you can consider this an ABO fic to resolve that issue.
> 
> Thank you to FestiveFerret and the 616 Stony discord for coming up with the title.  
> A BIG thank you to tetrameter for the beta.

Steve smoothed down the front of his coat, the blue wool helping to absorb some of the sweat on his palms.  He adjusted the belt his sabre hung from and avoided touching the hilt or any of the brass buttons forming a row down the middle of his coat.  Steve had spent too much time polishing the buttons and the gold-plated hilt to muss them up in the eleventh hour.

Finally, after what felt like an eon, the large oak door swung open revealing the ever-professional Edwin Jarvis.

“Captain Rogers, I’m afraid Master Anthony is not currently at home.”  Jarvis was always polite but there was a glint in his eyes that made Steve nervous whenever he talked about Tony.  That glint made sure Steve never did anything inappropriate towards Tony more than anything Tony’s father said.  Not that Steve would ever do anything inappropriate.

“Sir, I’m actually here to speak with Mr. Stark.”  Steve stood a little straighter and was proud his voice didn’t warble.

Jarvis eyed Steve speculatively before his lips tipped up slightly.

“Of course, please wait in the hall.”  Jarvis ushered Steve inside the mansion and then disappeared down the hallway that lead towards the back of the home.

Steve tried not to look around at the opulence as he removed his helmet.  He remembered the first time he walked into the Stark Mansion and had no intention of making a fool out of himself, again.  His eyes were drawn to the portrait facing the front door. The three Stark’s were exquisitely dressed and staring imperiously at everyone who walked into their home.  Well, Howard looked imperious. Maria had a small smile, a twinkle in her eye as if welcoming people. And Tony. Steve’s breath caught at the rakish smile, smoothed back dark hair and the same twinkle in his blue eyes that Maria had in her dark ones.  Tony’s frock coat was heavily embroidered in a way that was to remind people his family had the money to waste on the extra thread. Maria’s dress was likewise done and the painter had done an amazing job of catching the glimmer of fabric which had to be a fine silk.  Not for the first time Steve wondered why he thought this was a good idea.

“Captain.” Howard came into view from the hallway Jarvis had disappeared down.  Howard was dressed in deceptively simply looking fabric, his frock coat and vest the same dark color while his pants were a lighter tone.  Steve knew for a fact that suit probably cost more than an entire year’s worth of his own wages during the war. “Follow me.”

Jarvis had slipped by Howard unnoticed and opened the door to the library.  Howard turned and walked through the door, fully expecting Steve to follow. Steve grit his teeth and took a calming breath.  Jarvis caught his eye and the older man nodded slightly as if encouraging him. Steve marched into the room like he had into war meetings only a couple of years ago.

Howard had dropped into a cushioned arm chair and was waiting expectantly as Jarvis came in and poured a dark liquid from a crystal decanter into a matching glass.  Jarvis presented the glass to Howard who took the drink without looking at his butler. The sharp smell told Steve it was brandy. Steve was not offered a glass.

“What brings you here, Captain?” Howard had a way of speaking so that even as he spoke to you it felt dismissive.  Steve remembered a few superiors during the war that had the same knack and it never failed to grate on his nerves.

“Sir, I don’t wish to take any more time than is necessary.  I have come here today to ask your permission to marry your son, Anthony.”  Steve watched Howard’s fingers tighten around the glass, going white before he forced them to relax.

“And what does a poor, former soldier have to offer my son?”  Howard sneered.

“I have employment with the city police and I will endeavor to make Anthony happy.  I love him and I’ve no doubt of his feelings for me.” Steve stopped himself from sounding like he was begging.  Howard had been against him from the first time he had met him. If Steve showed any perceived weakness, Howard would latch onto it.

“The police?  Little more than thugs and degenerates.  You are not helping your cause, Captain. I’m well aware of Anthony’s trivial affection for you but my dear friend, Obadiah, has put forth an offer for Anthony’s hand on behalf of his son.  Ezekiel Stane is a much better match for my son.” _Richer, you mean_ , Steve thought darkly. “I’ve decided Anthony should marry into the Stane family.”

Howard’s words were decisive, his lips turned up in a smirk as if hoped the words cut and went deep.  Steve wondered if he’d been waiting for Steve to come and ask permission before announcing he’s agreed to marry Tony off to the highest bidder.  That sounded exactly like something Howard would do.  Cold rage flooded through Steve’s body and before he could stop himself he put his hand on the hilt of his sword and gave Howard a cold stare.

“Your lack of interest or knowledge in who Tony is seems to do you a disservice.  Tony may have done a great deal to garner favor with you in the past but that is the past.  It has been a long time since Tony has bent to your will. I came here because I respect traditions and that you are his father, but I know full well that Tony will marry me because he has already tried to convince me to elope with him.  I told him no in the hopes that we could marry among friends and family. As it seems you have no interest in securing him a future in which he could flourish your judgment holds no value. Tony and I will marry even if it does come to elopement.”

“How dare you!?” Howard roared, the glass dropping to the ground as he surged out of his chair.  The thick carpet absorbed the untouched liquor.  “You are nothing! A poor orphan with little prospects who wants my son to wallow in the garbage with you.  I will not stand for it! You will cease all communication with him or I shall disinherit him and ban him from ever laying eyes on anything Stark so long as I live!”

Fear trickled down Steve’s spine.  Tony would lose his mother, who he adored.  He’d lose Jarvis who was more father to Tony than the man in front of him.  Tony had tried to warn him. When he had tried to convince Steve to elope he had said Howard would be terrible if Steve tried to do this the traditional way.  Just goes to show that Tony was smarter than him.

“I will leave the decision up to Tony, then.  It is his life, after all, and I will abide by his wishes.” Steve got out between gritted teeth.  Only his death grip on sword and helmet kept him from reaching out and strangling the older man.

“Well.” A voice spoke up from the doorway and Steve’s head whipped around to see Tony framed in the entrance.  His gold and red frock coat set off his skin beautifully, his dark hair oiled and swept away so that Steve could see the brilliance in his eyes.  Breath and heartbeat stopped as it always did when he saw Tony.

Tony’s grin was wide and open and only for Steve before he turned and looked over his shoulder.  Steve could make out Jarvis and Maria in the hallway. “Mama, looks like you won’t get to plan a wedding since I’ll have to elope.”

Maria frowned, her eyes shooting past Steve and narrowing at Howard.  “You will not. I’ve been planning your wedding for years. And I don’t see who’s going to stop me.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you smiled I will consider this story a success.
> 
> Find me (and ficlets I don't post on AO3) on [tumblr](https://sarahhbe.tumblr.com/)


End file.
